2 weeks of not being Mi’ Ball

by Miss B

2nd 9 weeks testing is over. My kids have actually learned something in the past 9 weeks, and it amazes me. My students never cease to amaze me in the things that we are able to teach them. This past 9 weeks we learned about greater than and less than with the signs that they will use for the rest of their lives, and we learned addition up to 100 without regrouping, and we gave one heck of a shot at adding with regrouping — not as great as the rest. We are now subtracting and they basically just laugh and say “Mi’ Ball, this be too easy for us, when is it going to be hard?” ARE YOU KIDDING? This is amazing! I am so excited about the next semester.

One of my kids has already made his 1.67 reading goal and I have 3 that are on the edge of making this goal. In no way am I an amazing teacher that has performed some sort of miracle in the first 18 weeks of school, it just goes to show how vital sight words are and how important it is for my kids to know them. My biggest excitement in the past 9 weeks is the little girl in my class that now has hope. She CAN and IS learning and now knows 20/26 letter sounds and has more confidence. The best way to describe it is that a light bulb has turned on and is on a dimming switch, each day the light is getting a bit brighter slowly but steadily. Last week she learned how to read a book called “Ride On” and it has simple sentences like “I ride on a plane” “I ride on a bike” and she was able to read (memorize) the book and she read it to EVERY class in the WHOLE school and was so proud of herself — I will take anything right now to boost her little ego!

One of the things that I just can not get over is the fact that it is 65 degrees today and our Christmas program is tomorrow. Growing up in Iowa Christmas has always meant cold, snow, ice — not this year, or at least not until I get back home in 1.5 days! I am so unbelievably excited that I am going home so soon! I have not been home since June when I moved to the Delta (minus the 2 days that I went back to Iowa — not home — for a family reunion) and can’t wait to get back. I am so excited to see friends and family that I have not seen in months. The thing that I am quite possibly the most excited about is going back to Aurora and seeing my college friends and feeling some normalcy in my life. This is now my normal, but I have not introduced myself as “Hi, I’m Lydia” in so long and I just need that again in my life. It also is going to be difficult to see children for 2 weeks without wanting to correct their behavior or grammar, lets be honest though — I will always correct their grammar

I also think that I may actually be figuring this out. Since the beginning of November I have been able to make my lesson plans and copies BEFORE school got out on Friday so that during the weekend I only had to create stuff for centers, which has been so nice. Since Thanksgiving I have felt this weight lifted off of my shoulders and just feel less rushed and anxious which has been welcomed also. This past week I have felt more like myself in my classroom too. I have been goofy, crazy, signing randomly and so much happier than I have been in the past month and a half or so and I think that it is because I am finally settling into this life. I really am enjoying my time in the Delta as crazy as some things can be here and it is starting to be home.

Until next time here is to hoping for a wonderful time at home, good friends, great time with family and time to relax.

New kid quotes:

This week Santa came to school and took pictures with our kids.. and this is how it went as we walked into the hall where Santa was..

Student 1: “That ain’t no Santa Claus.. that just be coach dressed up like he Santa!”

Me: “No way, that is Santa, maybe him and coach just happen to look alike.”

Student 2: “Mi’ Ball I don’t know who you think yours foolin, but that is coach!”

Me: “And why do you think that?”

Student 2: “Mi’ Ball we all know that Santa be white like you!!”

I then tried to tell them that Santa is whatever color they are. Santa is white when he comes to my house, black when he goes to theirs, purple when he goes to Barneys and blue when he goes to deliver presents to the Smurffs.. they didn’t buy any of it.

Student: “Mi’ Ball, I really just want to know why you lie about having kids!” – they just don’t understand that I have zero kids